Editing Airbag (section)

== Regulatory specifications ==

=== United States ===
On 11 July 1984, the United States government amended [[FMVSS 208|Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 208]] (FMVSS 208) to require cars produced after 1 April 1989 to be equipped with a passive restraint for the driver. An airbag or an [[Seat belt#Automatic|automatic seat belt]] would meet the requirements of the standard. Airbag introduction was stimulated by the [[National Highway Traffic Safety Administration]].<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pdf/nrd-01/Esv/esv16/98S8P12.PDF |first=Byron |last=Bloch |title=Advanced designs for side impact and rollover protection |work=NHTSA |year=1998 |access-date=16 March 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20141125063517/http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pdf/nrd-01/Esv/esv16/98S8P12.PDF |archive-date=25 November 2014 }}</ref> However, airbags were not mandatory on light trucks until 1997.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.nhtsa.gov/cars/rules/import/fmvss/index.html#SN208 |title=Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and Regulations (Standard No. 208) |work=NHTSA |date=March 1999 |access-date=16 March 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140507031818/http://www.nhtsa.gov/cars/rules/import/FMVSS/index.html |archive-date=7 May 2014 }}</ref>

In 1998, FMVSS 208 was amended to require dual front airbags, and reduced-power, second-generation airbags were also mandated. This was due to the injuries caused by first-generation airbags, though FMVSS 208 continues to require that bags be engineered and calibrated to be able to "save" the life of an ''unbelted'' 50th-percentile size and weight "male" [[crash test dummy]]. The technical performance and validation requirements for the inflator assembly used in airbag modules are specified in [[SAE International|SAE]] USCAR 24–2.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://standards.sae.org/uscar24-2/ |title=USCAR24-22: Inflator Technical Requirements and Validation |publisher=SAE International |date=30 April 2013 |access-date=16 March 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140106140336/http://standards.sae.org/uscar24-2/ |archive-date=6 January 2014 }}</ref>

=== Europe ===
Some countries outside North America adhere to internationalized European [[ECE regulations|ECE vehicle and equipment regulations]] rather than the United States Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards. ECE airbags are generally smaller and inflate less forcefully than United States airbags because the ECE specifications are based on ''belted'' crash test dummies.

The [[Euro NCAP]] vehicle safety rating encourages manufacturers to take a comprehensive approach to occupant safety; a good rating can only be achieved by combining airbags with other safety features.<ref name=ncap>[http://www.euroncap.com/tests/frontimpact.aspx Frontal impact test description] {{webarchive|url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080506093253/http://www.euroncap.com/tests/frontimpact.aspx |date=6 May 2008 }} Euro NCAP website</ref> Almost every new car sold in Europe is equipped with front and side airbags, but in the [[European Union]] in 2020<ref>{{cite web|url= https://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/specialist/knowledge/vehicle/safety_design_needs/cars_en |title=Cars|date=17 October 2016}}</ref> and in the [[United Kingdom]], and most other developed countries there is no direct legal requirement for new cars to feature airbags.

=== Central and South America ===
Ecuador requires dual front airbags in new car models since 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.elcomercio.com/actualidad/negocios/nuevo-reglamento-de-calidad-vehiculos.html|title=Nuevo reglamento de calidad para vehículos|first=Grupo El|last=Comercio|date=January 20, 2014 |work=El Comercio}}</ref>

Since January 2014, except for micro vehicles, all new cars made or imported in Argentina must have front airbags.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.lacapital.com.ar/edicion-impresa/airbags-y-abs-sistemas-obligatorios-argentina-n605371.html |title=Airbags y ABS, sistemas obligatorios en Argentina |work=La Capital |language=es |access-date=July 18, 2022}}</ref>

Since 1 January 2014, all new cars sold in Brazil must have dual front airbags.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://g1.globo.com/carros/noticia/2014/01/comeca-valer-obrigatoriedade-de-airbag-e-abs-para-carros-novos.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140102100521/http://g1.globo.com/carros/noticia/2014/01/comeca-valer-obrigatoriedade-de-airbag-e-abs-para-carros-novos.html|url-status=dead|title=Começa a valer obrigatoriedade de airbag e ABS para carros novos|series=G1|location=São Paulo|date=1 January 2014|archive-date=2 January 2014|work=Auto Esporte}}</ref>

Since July 2014, all new cars sold in Uruguay must have dual front airbags.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.autoblog.com.uy/2014/07/todo-lo-que-hay-que-saber-de-la-ley-n.html |title=Todo lo que hay que saber de la ley Nº 19.061 |website=autoblog.com.uy}}</ref>

Since December 2016, all new cars sold in Chile must have dual front airbags.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://noticias.autocosmos.cl/2015/03/19/doble-airbag-sera-obligatorio-en-chile |title=Doble Airbag: Será obligatorio en Chile |date=19 March 2015 |website=autocosmos.cl |author1=Autocosmos }}</ref>

Since 1 January 2017, all cars made or imported in Colombia must have dual front airbags.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.eltiempo.com/archivo/documento/CMS-16397843|title=Con bolsas de aire, el país se pone a tono con el mundo|first=Casa Editorial El|last=Tiempo|date=7 October 2015 |work=El Tiempo}}</ref>

Since 1 January 2020, all new cars sold in Mexico must have dual front airbags.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.eleconomista.com.mx/empresas/Mayor-proteccion-en-los-autos-la-nueva-normatividad-en-la-industria-20191019-0017.html |title=Mayor protección en los autos, la nueva normatividad en la industria|first=Marcos|last=Martínez |work=El Economista}}</ref>

=== India ===
On 5 March 2021, the Indian [[Ministry of Road Transport and Highways]] mandated that all new vehicle models introduced in India after 1 April 2021 have dual front airbags; the regulation also requires that all existing models be equipped with dual front airbags by 31 August 2021.<ref>{{cite web |title=Dual airbags mandatory for new cars from April 1- Business News |url= https://www.businesstoday.in/sectors/auto/dual-airbags-mandatory-for-new-cars-from-april-1/story/433122.html |website=businesstoday.in |date=5 March 2021 |access-date=6 March 2021}}</ref>
India also mandated that all passenger vehicles sold after October 2023 must have a minimum of six airbags.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/6-airbag-rule-for-passenger-cars-to-come-into-force-in-october-next-year-says-nitin-gadkari-3388205 |title=6 Airbags In Cars A Must From October 2023 |first= Akhilesh |last=Sharma |work=New Delhi TV |location=India |date=29 September 2022 |access-date=2 October 2022}}</ref>